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Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 Review

This no-frills projector is suitable for basic office use at an attractive price
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Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 Review
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Price:  $430 List
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Manufacturer:   Epson
By Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout  ⋅  Mar 22, 2024
68
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#8 of 11
  • Entertainment - 30% 5.9
  • Business - 30% 6.5
  • Contrast Ratio - 15% 8.7
  • Brightness - 15% 7.7
  • Set up/Use - 5% 4.9
  • Input Lag - 5% 8.2

Our Verdict

If you're in the market for a simple projector that's good in an office environment, you could do a lot worse than the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01. It eschews almost all advanced imaging and cinema features for portability and simplicity, and it's attractively priced, making it a great deal for those on a budget. However, if you're in the market for a projector to fit your entertainment needs, you can do much better than this one. If you want to take a look at all the best options on the projector market, be sure to give our best projector article a read.
REASONS TO BUY
Small and portable
Easy to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Fewer port connectivity options than most
Fan puts out a lot of heat

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Best Buy Award
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Best Buy Award
Best Buy Under $100
  
Price $430 List
$369.99 at Amazon
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$100 List$130 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line This basic projector offers straightforward functionality well suited for office useA very bright projector that excels in an office environment and offers a decent movie experienceIf your expectations are low and you're deadset on an ultra-low-budget projector, this is the one to getA no-frills mini projector for the leanest budget and lowest expectationsA projector to avoid unless you prioritize price and portability above all
Rating Categories Epson EpiqVision Fl... ViewSonic PA503W Happrun H1 TMY Mini AuKing Mini 1080p
Entertainment (30%)
5.9
6.8
3.7
2.8
2.3
Business (30%)
6.5
7.8
6.2
5.9
6.1
Contrast Ratio (15%)
8.7
9.0
3.2
2.0
2.3
Brightness (15%)
7.7
9.5
2.4
2.0
2.1
Set up/Use (5%)
4.9
4.9
5.0
4.4
4.4
Input Lag (5%)
8.2
9.1
9.3
9.3
9.5
Specs Epson EpiqVision Fl... ViewSonic PA503W Happrun H1 TMY Mini AuKing Mini 1080p
Measured ANSI Lumens 2061 Lumens 2664 Lumens 249 Lumens 119 Lumens 136 Lumens
Measured Fan Noise 38 dBA 41 dBA 45 dBA 30 dBA 43 dBA
Measured ANSI Contrast Ratio 638:23 775:26 43:5 41:10 51:10
Measured Input Lag 54 ms 48 ms 46 ms 46 ms 45 ms
Measured Dimensions (L x D x H) 11.6" x 8.3" x 3.4" 11.6" x 8.6" x 4.3" 9.3" x 8.1" x 3.5" 7" x 5.31" x 2.76" ‎7.95" x 6.3" x 2.91"
Measured Weight 5.3 lbs 4.9 lbs 3.5 lbs 2 lbs 3 lbs
Projection Technology 3LCD DLP LCD 3LCD LED
Light Source Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp Lamp
Claimed Brightness 3000 Lumens 3600 Lumens 9500 Lumens 7500 Lumens 9500 Lumens
Carrying Case Included No No No No No
Native Resolution 1280 x 800 1280 x 800 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 Support
Smart Streaming Capability? No No No No No
Contrast Ratio Not Specified 22,000:1 10,000:1 5,000:1 2,000:1
Aspect Ratio Native 16:10 Native 16:10 Not Specified Native 16:9 Not Specified
Zoom Ratio 1.0 - 1.35 1.0 - 1.1 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified
Throw Ratio (Wide to Zoom) 1.27 - 1.71 1.55 - 1.70 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified
Backlit Remote No No No No No
Vertical Keystoning Correction Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Horizontal Keystoning Correction No No No No
Lens Shift No No No No No
Lens Cover No No Yes No Yes
3D Capable No Yes No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

While it lacks premium features, this straightforward projector provides essential functionality for office use. We appreciate its portability, simplicity, and price, but we don't recommend it for home entertainment.

Performance Comparison



epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - the epson epiqvision flex co-w01 shines with its portability and...
The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 shines with its portability and user-friendly simplicity.
Credit: Matt Lighthart


Entertainment


For top-notch performance in home entertainment, a projector should offer high contrast, high brightness, and sharp image quality. Advanced models often include smart features like built-in streaming apps, which earn them extra points in our tests.

The Flex CO-W01 skips out on a lot of that, so we feel it's targeted towards the business user rather than the home cinema market. However, it still has decent color, albeit with less contrast and a more washed-out look than top performers.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - although it lacks the vivid contrast of top performers, the epson...
Although it lacks the vivid contrast of top performers, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 still delivers satisfactory color.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Business


Thanks to its portability, sufficient brightness for well-lit spaces, and overall simplicity, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 makes a solid business projector.

Color accuracy matches up with source documents well, with whites and colors exceeding a lot of projectors when it comes to slideshow presentations. However, the edge-to-edge clarity leaves something to be desired, especially on fullscreen spreadsheets. Overall, reading text and graphics was fine.

This small and relatively light projector is portable, so it picks up a few points there. It comes with a remote but no controls onboard the projector, which isn't ideal. If the remote is misplaced, there is no way to adjust some settings. In fact, the projector doesn't feature much besides a manual focus ring; it's even minimal on ports, with just 1x HDMI, 1x USB-B, and 1x USB-A.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - this projector effectively replicates colors from source documents...
This projector effectively replicates colors from source documents, but its edge-to-edge clarity could be improved, though text and graphics remain highly legible overall.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Contrast Ratio


The Flex CO-W01 demonstrated good separation of dark and light colors, making it one of the best units outside of the top performers in terms of contrast ratio.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - we used a light meter to conduct a thorough ansi contrast ratio test...
We used a light meter to conduct a thorough ANSI contrast ratio test for every projector
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Epson doesn't specify a contrast ratio for this unit, but we measured a 638:23 ratio in our ANSI contrast ratio test.

Brightness


Epson lists the Flex CO-W01 as a 3000-lumen projector, and we confirmed a respectable 2061 lumens reading with our light meter. This projector is plenty bright enough to be seen in well-lit office environments.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - the epson epiqvision flex co-w01 shines bright enough for most...
The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 shines bright enough for most business settings.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Setup & Use


Projectors that perform well in this category often come equipped with a variety of convenient features, such as adjustable legs for both front and rear settings on uneven surfaces, backlit remotes for effortless button location during movie nights, and voice command recognition.

Additionally, we consider enhanced keystoning and focus controls, zoom capability, and integrated tripod/ceiling mounting options as factors when awarding points in this metric.

This Epson features the bare basics: a remote control, a 5-watt integrated speaker, manual focus, manual keystone adjustability (from the remote control only), a front leveling leg, and a tripod mount on the bottom.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - this projector doesn't offer much in the way of extra features, but...
This projector doesn't offer much in the way of extra features, but it gets the job done.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Input Lag


A projector with low input lag is really only necessary if you intend to use it for competitive gaming. The Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 performs ok here, with an average response time of 54 milliseconds at its 1080p resolution, as measured by our signal input lag test device, taking an average of the readings from the top, middle, and bottom of the screen.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - the flex co-w01 has nice colors for a basic business-focused...
The Flex CO-W01 has nice colors for a basic business-focused projector.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01?


If you're looking for a simple and portable projector for business use, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 shows a lot of promise. It has a good contrast ratio and sufficient brightness for most environments. However, if you're more interested in movies than spreadsheets, there are far better options.

epson epiqvision flex co-w01 - one downside to the flex co-w01 is its limited port options, with...
One downside to the Flex CO-W01 is its limited port options, with just 1x HDMI, 1x USB-B, and 1x USB-A.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

What Other Projectors Should You Consider?


If you want the best business-oriented projector we've tested, check out the Epson Pro EX9240. It exceeds the Flex CO-W01 in most metrics that make a good business projector. If you want a more versatile projector at a similar price, check out the Best Buy awardee Viewsonic PA503W.

Sentry Kelly and Adam Stout